Radetec brings video games to life with this new handgun slide display

For those among us who internally cringe at the necessity of counting shots, Radetec has a new and somewhat novel solution -- one which you might have already seen in a video game or a movie.

Making its debut at this year's Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, NV, the company's new Smart Slide is designed to relay basic though critical informational to a shooter via small highly-readable display.

Similar to what you might have seen in the hugely-successful Halo video game franchise on some of the in-game weapons, the Smart Slide provides shooters with a real-time count of how many rounds are left in their magazines, as well as alerts on whether the gun has a round in the chamber, and when a magazine is or isn't inserted.

Presently designed exclusively for Glock pistols, the Smart Slide conveys this information by way of a small digital display built into its rear, normally where the slide cover plate would sit.

One might wonder how Radetc can generate this information without adding a complex series of sensors inside the pistol itself, and the answer to that really is quite simple. A new follower, electronically synchronized to the display, detects its height within the magazine and continually updates based on its new position after a round is expended.

The follower is compatible with any Glock magazine currently available today, including both OEM and aftermarket mags. When the pistol doesn't have a mag inserted, the follower communicates that information to the display as well.

Radetec's slide is where the rest of the electronic wizardry occurs, featuring a pressure sensor coupled to the extractor. When the pressure sensor is activated, that indicates that the pistol has a round chambered.

Using a clip-on accessory, the Smart Slide can also relay usage information to a phone app, allowing users to keep track of rounds fired, cataloging the information by date in an easily-accessible digital logbook.

While the slide seems fancy and somewhat unnecessary for your run of the mill enthusiast or concealed carrier, law enforcement might especially find such a system useful.

As earlier mentioned, the Smart Slide system is currently only available for Glock pistols, especially since the DAO design (which lacks an external hammer and has a flat rear face) is more conducive towards holding an ergonomically-placed display, so it’s unclear whether or not Radetec will eventually produce Smart Slides for other pistols.

In Other News

January 6 convict asks for light sentence in order to remain in Navy

An active-duty service member convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack urged a judge for a light sentence in order to remain in the Navy.

Agreement helps military spouses keep federal jobs in overseas moves

Here's how an agreement between the Pentagon and State Department will help federally employed military spouses move their jobs overseas in a PCS.

Navy ship underway for Gaza pier mission suffers fire, returns to US

The cargo ship 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo suffered a fire in its engine room Thursday, forcing it to return to Florida, the Navy said.

VA to largely end animal testing on dogs, cats within two years

The Department of Veterans Affairs is slated to largely end testing on dogs, cats and nonhuman primates within the next two years.

Biden says uncle’s remains never found during WWII due to cannibals

While the claim contradicts the DPAA report about his uncle's fate, Biden's comments on cannibalism in the region during WWII are not far off.

Load More